Category: Kaiser Health News

Community Health Workers Spread Across the US, Even in Rural Areas

Community health workers are increasingly common in rural areas, where they help patients overcome barriers to accessing care and staying healthy.

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

The nation’s Catholic health systems were largely founded and led by nuns with a mission to serve the sick regardless of their creed or financial means. Today, no nuns run any U.S. Catholic health system, while many of these hospitals pull in billions, according to their financial reports.

A Quick Return to School and Light Exercise May Help Kids Recover From Concussions

With new research and updated guidelines in Colorado and 15 other states, physicians and educators are asking parents not to wait to return their concussed kids to school.

No Evidence Trump’s Drug Program for Terminal Patients Saved ‘Thousands’ of Lives

Though the former president has repeatedly hyped the impact of his experimental drug program, there’s no basis for his claims in government data, and medical experts say he’s exaggerating.

Election Outcome Could Bring Big Changes to Medicare

Democrats and conservatives are divided over whether the federal health program for people over 65 should be run almost entirely by the private sector. If Trump retakes the White House, the shift to Medicare Advantage may accelerate.

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

In the final days of the campaign, stark disagreements between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump over the future of American health care are on display — in particular, in sober warnings about abortion access, the specter of future cuts to the Affordable Care Act, and bold pronouncements about empowering activists eager […]

Trump Wants Harris To Pay a Political Price for Generous Immigrant Health Policies

Several Democratic-led states have expanded public insurance programs to cover immigrants in the U.S. regardless of legal status. Donald Trump is trying to blame Kamala Harris for the policies.

Paid Sick Leave Is Up for a Vote in Three States

The coronavirus pandemic underscored the importance of paid sick leave, a benefit to help workers and their families when they fall ill. Now voters in Missouri, Nebraska, and Alaska are deciding whether employers must provide it.

Dentists Are Pulling ‘Healthy’ and Treatable Teeth To Profit From Implants, Experts Warn

Americans are getting dental implants more than ever — and at costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Experts worry some dentists have lost sight of the soul of dentistry: preserving and fixing teeth.

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: The Campaign’s Final Days

It’s the final days of the 2024 campaign, and Republicans are suddenly talking again about making changes to the Affordable Care Act if former President Donald Trump wins. Meanwhile, new reporting uncovers more maternal deaths under state abortion bans — and a case in which a Nevada woman was jailed after a miscarriage. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Irving Washington, a senior vice president at KFF and the executive director of its Health Misinformation and Trust Initiative.